The Press Pass ID Answer

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What is a Press PassA press pass is simply a way to distinguish your self from the general public. It shows a level of professionalism and the seriousness of your intent. It also shows your affiliation with a legitimate news organization or association.

Who can get a press passGenerally press passes are reserved for individuals working with a legitimate news or media organization or association. They are for persons working to report new and events of the day, without bias.

What a Press Pass isn't A press pass is not a license for access, it is a request for access and may or may not be accepted by a venue. It is not a VIP pass and does not afford you special treatment beyond its intended purpose.

Where can you get a Press Pass I will give you the simple answer in a second but please don't leave without reading the rest of this section. There is only one legitimate news association that I know of that issues real press credentials to citizen reporters and it is on a limited basis, the company site is AssociatedPost.com. You know the name, everyone does because they have been around for years and years. They issue real press passes but they do limit the amount of credentials they issue.

What ever you do, do not try a fake press pass. You can easily tell if a press pass is fake just by doing a simple internet search. If you found the site, the company or the name by searching "fake press pass" or something similar, keep in mind that others can figure it out as easily as you did. If you found a fake press pass anywhere, it is probably well known in the industry as being fake and you can be banned or black listed. Most importantly, if you have to pay more than reasonable dues to get a press pass, you are knowingly buying a fake press pass. If you acquire a press pass with out having to give any more information than is required to process your credit card, you are knowingly committing fraud.

The AssociatedPost.com is a free Beta, they do not charge anything more than reasonable dues. If you pay anything more than the associated cost of your membership, then you are buying something fake and you would be well advised to stay away from any organization that charges more than about $20 a year for membership. Please, do not buy a fake press pass or fake media credentials when you can get a real one for virtually free. Here is a little industry secret, a press pass is bigger than a ID card or drivers license. If you try one of those smaller fake cards, you may be asked to leave and asked not to return. A press pass is bigger than that and it is virtually never on one of those plastic card ID's. They are almost always printed in house and laminated. They also must be signed and have a photo included. But, most importantly they must bare the name of a real and legitimate news outlet.

A couple more things and then you can checkout the AssociatedPost.com. A press pass is completely useless with out a "Letter of Assignment" from the news outlet or association. The AssociatedPost.com issues "letters of Assignment with every press pass they grant. Last but not least, what ever you use, use it as a press pass and not for your own enjoyment. If you do get lucky with a fake press pass and you get into an issue, they can and will bring charges of gaining access though fraudulent means. I can't stress enough, do not use any other press pass other than the AssociatedPost.com, unless you are actually on the payroll of another new organization.